Earlier it seemed that the iPhone 14 will get a super modern chip based on a new manufacturing process. But according to the latest rumors, chip supplier TSMC has problems with its production. iPhoned explains what’s going on.
iPhone 14 will not get a 3nm chip
Apple is always trying to put state of the art chips in its phones and computers. For this, the company works together with the Taiwanese chip maker TSMC. How modern (i.e. powerful and energy-efficient) a processor is is mainly determined by the manufacturing process.
For example, the A15 processor in the iPhone 13 is manufactured using the 5 nanometer process, the previous generation used the 7nm process. A little succinctly: the smaller the manufacturing process, the faster and more energy-efficient a chip becomes.
Before the iPhone 14, Apple actually wanted to switch to the new 3nm process. This would make next year’s devices more powerful and energy efficient, without the chips having to grow enormously. But now production problems at TSMC are throwing a spanner in the works, according to a report from The Information.
As a result, the iPhone 14 will probably get a 5nm chip again. In order to make the chip faster, it has to be bigger. And that may be at the expense of, for example, the battery. Or the iPhone 14 in its entirety should be bigger.
The relationship between TSMC and Apple
Apple is the largest customer of Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC and is expected to remain so. In particular, the move from Intel to proprietary processors in the Mac and iPhone 13 is currently driving large orders at TSMC.
The report goes on to say that Apple will receive VIP treatment from TSMC. This became apparent last year when TSMC supplied Apple with more chips after production problems without increasing the total price of the contract. TSMC is also reportedly planning an additional chip factory in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung, as Tim Cook’s company prefers this location.
But despite the VIP treatment, the iPhone 14 seems to stick to an older chip technology. So will no doubt be continued.
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